Little Rock, the capital of Arkansas lies on the south bank of the Arkansas River and in central Arkansas. Little Rock was named for a stone outcropping on the bank of the Arkansas River used by early travelers as a landmark, which marked the transition from the flat Mississippi Delta region to the Ouachita Mountain foothills. The city played a notable role in U.S. history during the 1957 desegregation of Little Rock Central High School, a key event in the Civil Rights movement. We visited this city in 2022 and spent a day enjoying the following sites –
- Clinton Presidential Library and Museum
- Clinton Presidential Park Bridge
- Little Rock Central High School
- Arkansas State Capitol building
Clinton Presidential Library and Museum – is the library of Bill Clinton who served as the 42nd president of United States from 1993-2001. It is located on 17 acres of land next to the Arkansas River. It is the 13th presidential library to have been completed in the United States. The main building cantilevers over the Arkansas River, echoing Clinton’s campaign promise of building a bridge to the 21st century.
The museum showcases artifacts from Clinton’s two terms as president and includes full-scale replicas of the Clinton-era Oval Office and Cabinet Room.
Clinton Presidential Park Bridge – This is one of the 3 downtown bridges across Arkansas River and is within a few meters of the Presidential Library. The bridge, which serves as a visual representation of President Clinton’s Bridge to the 21st Century, was originally built in 1899 and is one of three downtown Arkansas River crossings lit with environmentally-friendly LED lights. The bridge takes visitors across a channel of the Arkansas River to an eight-acre island with wetland trails wandering through native plants and trees.
Little Rock Central High School – This historic public high school was where desegregation began. The school was the site of the Little Rock Crisis in 1957 after the U.S Supreme Court ruled that segregation by race in public schools was unconstitutional 3 years earlier.
In the fall of 1957, when students were returning to the all-white Little Rock Central High School, nine new African American faces were to be among them. But Gov. Orval Faubus, challenged the desegregation law and called in the state National Guard to block the way. Gov. Faubus was ordered to back down, but when the Little Rock Nine arrived on campus, more than 1,000 angry white protesters flocked to the scene. President Dwight D. Eisenhower responded resolutely by sending in federal troops for backup. On September 25, the troops escorted the Little Rock Nine to class and then remained on guard through the year.
Little Rock Central High School, UNITED – This sculpture, which depicts two figures working together to close two circles, was dedicated on Sep 22, 2017 and is located in front of Little Rock Central High School. Named UNITED, Clay Enoch’s 10-foot bronze sculpture commemorates the 60th Anniversary of the integration of Central High. Enoch was joined at the dedication by several members of the Little Rock Nine.
Clay states about the sculpture I wanted to try to shift the focus from the historical to the contemporary. There has been so much progress made. I wanted to create something that showed the strides that have been made – something hopeful and uplifting. The design features allegorical figures with raised arms working to interlock their respective rings in the effort to be UNITED. Incomplete rings indicate that there is still progress to be made.
Today, you can learn more about the Little Rock Nine across the street at the visitor center and museum, which offers ranger-led tours of the still-functioning school. It is the only operating high school located within the boundaries of a National Historic Site.
Arkansas State Capitol building – Built over 100 years ago, the State Capitol building is designed in Neo-classical style and features 6 bronze doors at the entrance. The dome has 24-karat gold plated cupola.
Arkansas State Capitol Rotunda – In 2013, the interior dome underwent a major project to repair the plasterwork and return the dome to its original 1914 appearance. The decorative chandelier that is suspended from the ceiling by a 73-foot chain, weighs more than 4,000 pounds and is about 12ft in diameter and 18 ft in height. This grand, intricate chandelier incorporates over 2000 brass, copper, zinc, iron, and glass parts
Arkansas State Capitol, House and Senate – The third floor has the Senate and House of Representative rooms. Above the grand staircases leading to the House and Senate chambers are four murals, visible at the ends of the barrel-vaulted skylights. The themes represented over the south (Senate) staircase are Education and Justice; over the north (House) staircase, War confronts Religion.
Arkansas Capitol building, Treasurer’s Office – A pleasantly surprising feature of the Arkansas State Capitol building tour is a visit into the vault at the Treasurer’s Office. The vault is located on the west side of the Rotunda, and is secured by a series of four doors and three time locks. The vault holds only small amounts of cash, and its present function is mainly decorative and symbolic.
On the day we visited the vault, I was allowed to hold a million dollars which was quite heavy. I decided to hold half a million.
Grounds of Arkansas Capitol building, The Little Rock Nine Monument – In 1957, nine African-American students enrolled at Little Rock’s Central High School, beginning the process of desegregating Little Rock’s public schools and marking a seminal event in America’s civil rights movement. This sculptural grouping was dedicated in August 2005 to honor the courage of those students, known collectively as the Little Rock Nine. Quotations from each of the Nine are featured around the bronze figures, which are the work of artists John and Cathy Deering.
Grounds of Arkansas Capitol building, Liberty Bell – A replica of the Liberty Bell is sheltered in an elegant travertine canopy. The bell is one of 50 distributed to the states in 1950 after a successful Liberty Bond drive.
Grounds of Arkansas Capitol building, Gold Star Memorial – Built-in 2019, the monument is dedicated to Arkansas families who have lost loved ones in military service in the United States. The monument’s plaza offers a quiet place of reverence and reflection to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Some more pictures from the capital building
- Bronze Doors – The front entrance doors are made of bronze, which are 10 feet tall, 4 inches thick and were purchased from Tiffany and Company in New York for $10,000. The bronze doors are highly polished and glows in the sunlight.
- Arkansas Fallen Firefighters Memorial Dedicated in 2014, this memorial recalls Arkansas firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty. The memorial features three bronze firefighters, a water feature and accent lighting.
